Clothes-line prop.



No. 878,416. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

D. MODOUGALL- CLOTHES LINE PROP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 1907.

Dal/ZZZ Mcfloaga ll,

WITNESSES [NI/ENTOR W 1 B y y I I I 7 A TTORNE Y5 DAVID MCDOUGALL, OF FALL RIVER, ltlASSAGI-IUSETTS.

CLOTHES-LINE PROP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed March 4- 1907- Serial No. 360.421-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID MoDoUoALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Line Prop, (Case (3,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes line props and has for its object to provide a knockdown prop including a plurality of longitudinally movable sections having interlocking parts and capable of being adjusted in the direction of the length of the prop so that the latter may be conveniently folded for transportation or shipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide the relatively stationary section with a spring locking member adapted to engage a collar or sleeve on the movable section thereby to lock said sections in extended position.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and effi ciency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothes line prop constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the prop in knocked down or folded position. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved prop forming the subject matter of the present invention includes relatively stationary and movable sections 5 and 6 one of which is provided with a terminal point 7 adapted to enter the ground while the upper end of the section 6 is bifurcated to form an elongated slot 8 adapted to receive an ordinary clothes line, the bifurcated end of the pivoted section 8 being preferably reinforced and strengthened by a transverse rod or pin 9 thereby to assist in preventing splitting or cracking of said section.

Rigid ly secured to the lower end of the upper or movable section 6 of the )rop is a sleeve or collar 10 preferably former of a single piece of flat metal having an intermediate portion thereof secured to the adjacent face of the section 6 as by a screw 11 and having one end thereof bent transversely across the opposite face of the section 6 and riveted or otherwise secured to the adjacent portion of the metal, as indicated at 12, the opposite end of the strip being bent to form a yoke 13 for the reception of the relatively stationary section 5, the terminal of the strip being riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the sleeve 10 at 14. A similar sleeve 15 is secured to the upper end of the lower or sta tionary section 5, said sleeve being provided with a corres onding yoke 16 for slidable engagement wit 1 the movable section '6.

Fastened on one face of the lower or stationary section 5 in any suitable manner, as by screws or similar fastening devices 17 is a locking member preferably in the form of a strip of metal having its intermediate portion thereof off-set at 18 and its free end bent laterally and rearwardly to form a spring pressed hook 19 the bill 20 of which normally and yieldably engages the adjacent longitudinal face of the stationary section 5.

When it is desired to use the prop the upper section 6 is moved longitudinally of the relatively stationary section 5 until the yoke 13 reaches a point adjacent the locking memher. As soon as the yoke 13 engages the hook 19 it will force the locking member laterally to permit the passage of the yoke, the bill of the hook automatically returning to normal position in engagement with the adjacent face of the stationary section so that a downward movement exerted on the movable section 6 will cause the yoke to enter the hook and thus lock the sections of the prop against accidental displacement.

In order to fold the prop it is merely necessary to move the yoke longitudinally out of engagement with the hook and then exert a slight lateral pressure on the free end of the locking member when the yoke is free to pass beneath the bill of the hook and the movable section of the prop adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and in which position the sections will be compactly folded so as to permit the prop to be conveniently carried from place to place.

Attention is here called to the fact that the sleeves 10 and 15 serve to reinforce and strengthen the inner'ends of the members 5 and 6 and also act as Wear plates so as to prevent undue friction on the Wood as Well as to prevent Warping of the latter. It Will also e observed that the sleeve or collar 15 by engagement With the enlarged heads 21 of the pin 9 serves to limit the longitudinal movement of the prop sections 5 and 6 When the latter are in iolded or closed position thereby to prevent accidental separation of said sections.

From the foregoing description it Will be seen that there is provided an extremely simple, inexpensive and eflicient device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in vieW.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is:

1. A clothes line prop including extensible sections, a yoke carried by one of the sections embracing the mating section, and a spring pressed locking member carried by said mating section and adapted to engage said yoke for locking the sections in extended position.

2. A clothes line prop including extensible sections movable one upon the other to extended position, a sleeve secured to and forming a housing for one end of one section and provided With a yoke embracing the mating section, and a strap secured to said mating section and provided With an in- Wardly extending hook adapted to engage the yoke for locking the sections in extended position.

3-. A clothes line prop including longitudinally adjustable sections, a yoke secured to one end of each section and embracing the mating section, and a locking member secured to one of said sections and provided With a terminal hook adapted to engage the yoke of the mating section forlocking said sections in extended position.

4. A clothes line prop including longitudinally adjustable sections slidably mounted one upon the other, a yoke rigidly secured to one end of each section, and a spring pressed locking member secured to one of the sections and having its free end bent inwardly to form DAVID MODOUGALL.

lVitnesses:

KATHERINE C. PEAsE, ALBERT HAWARTH. 

